The Catholic University Law Review hosted its annual conference at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law) on Friday, February 2. Entitled “Law Surrounding the COVID Era: The Effects of the Pandemic on Policies and Practices,” the conference lasted four hours and included two panels that touched on subjects presented in the Law Review’s forthcoming publication. The conference was supported with a donation from Shannon & Wright, LLP.

Panel 1: First Amendment and Law after 2020

After a brief introduction by Catholic Law's Dean Stephen C. Payne and Law Review faculty sponsor Chad Squitieri, the conference shifted to its first panel, “First Amendment and Law after 2020.” This panel focused on the renewed conflict between First Amendment advocates and public officials in light on the COVID-19 pandemic and the battles over free speech and misinformation that came in its wake. Moderated by Law Review staff editor Gerald Sharpe (2L), it featured Marc DeGirolami, St. John Henry Newman Professor of Law and codirector of the Center for Law and the Human Person at Catholic Law; attorney Christopher Keleher, Esq., of the Kelleher Appellate Law Group, LLC; and General Counsel Kim Mack Rosenberg, Esq., of Children’s Health Defense.

Kevin C. Walsh's Conference Luncheon Talk

The conference’s lunch break included a talk by Catholic Law’s Kevin C. Walsh, Knights of Columbus Professor of Law and the Catholic Tradition and codirector of the Project on Constitutional Originalism and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Walsh was introduced by Law Review lead articles editor Catherine Cook (3L). Walsh's remarks expanded on his inaugural chair lecture, delivered in September 2023 and forthcoming in the next issue of Law Review, "Judicial Power and Potential Unconstitutionality: A Scholastic Perspective."

Panel 2: Healthcare Transformation after COVID-19: Emerging Challenges for Technology and Data Use

Following Walsh’s lunchtime comments, the conference returned to the Walter A. Slowisnki Courtroom for its second panel, “Healthcare Transformation after COVID-19: Emerging Challenges for Technology and Data Use.” Introduced by Law Review lead articles editor Hope Gouterman (3L), and moderated by Law Review staff editor Joey Hill (2L), it featured as panelists Charles Curran, Esq., principal of Charles D. Curran Consulting, LLC; Jonathan Phillips, Esq., partner at Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher; and Julia Rappoport Schenker, Esq., Deputy Counsel for Advocacy at the American Hospital Association. Phillips and Schenker are also currently lecturers at Catholic Law.

Closing remarks were provided by the editor-in-chief of the Catholic University Law Review, Ned Wilkinson (3L).